The speech containing this part of the argument is as follows: Therefore, Jew, Though justice be thy plea, consider this, That, in the course of justice, none of us Should see salvation: We do pray for mercy; And that same prayer doth teach us all to render The deeds of mercy. "We do pray for mercy", refers to the general prayer of humanity for mercy. To have limited its reference to the petition for mercy in the Lord's Prayer would have weakened its force to the Jew. MORNING ON THE LIEVRE (Fourth Reader, page 228) ASSIGNMENT 1. The teacher should explain to the pupils that the Lievre River (pronounced Lee-eh-vr) runs through a deep gorge in the height of land on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River, into which it flows not far from the Capital. In some places, the banks of the Lievre rise abruptly to a great height; at others more gradually, the slope being covered with a thick forest growth. As the river nears the Ottawa, the banks become much lower. The scenery, whether viewed from the height above or from the river below, is very beautiful. 2. The teacher should ask a few questions which can be answered easily from the pupil's own reading of the poem, for example: From what position does the author first view the scene? What things in the scene appeal to each of the pupils as the most beautiful? Describe the incident mentioned in the last stanza. State in a single sentence the subject-matter of the whole poem. TREATMENT The pupils' answers to the questions given when the lesson was assigned should be dealt with first. Stanza I What first attracts the author's attention as he looks upward? What makes us feel how high up the banks the mist extends? What part of the mist appears most beautiful? Why? To what is it compared? How does this comparison affect our impression of (1) the colour of the mist; (2) the height of the mist? Does the comparison make the meaning clearer? Is the comparison apt? Is it beautiful? NOTE.--When a blacksmith cools the red-hot iron in a tub of water, vapour rises to the roof of his shop. The blaze from his forge shining on this mist produces the colours mentioned. The amethyst is a precious stone, clear and translucent, with a colour inclining to purple. The presence of coal dust or smoke in the vapour would help to produce the colour of amethyst. The same effect would result, if some smoke or dust were mingled with the mist where the sun's rays reach it at the top of the gorge.